Temporary fastening means for outlet boxes



Dec. Z, 1927.

J. C. BOYTON TEMPORARY EASTENING MEANS FOR OUTLET BOXES Filed July 9, 1926 Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

T OFFICE.

Jol-1N c. Bor'roiv, or cLnVELANn'onIm TEMPORARY FASTENING- MEANS FOR OUTLET BOXES.

Application med July ai This invention relates to a device for ten'iporarily fastening outlet boxes, such as are commonly used in the conduit systems of electrical installations of poured concrete buildings, to the concrete forms preparatory to and durin(v the pouring` and hardenino- `C x n.. b

ot the concrete, the invention being especially suitable for use With sheet metal forms.

Heretofore in the use of forms of this class considerable loss and inconvenience have been experienced because of the character of the means then available for ceniporarily fastening the boxes to the forms. dien placing the boxes it was necessary to bore a plurality ofholes in the forms for cach box, resulting in such a. mutilation ol'v the forms that they were soon rendered unsuitable for use; Iand vvhen removing the forms the non-yielding character ot the fastening means resulted in the `forms `being bent and twisted to such an extent that they were either rendered useless or required ran unwarranted amountrof time inv reconditioning them. Of course the latter` dii'liculty could have been avoided by painstakingly disconnecting theforms trom the boxes before the forms were dismantled, but the time consumed by such an operation would have made it impractical and prohibitive from the standpoint of expense. f

The ob `ects of my invention are to provide a cheap and very simple device for temporarily fastening outlet boxes to concrete forms and by which the foregoing difficulties are eliminated, and the placement and proper positioning ot the boxes is greatly expedited and facilitated.

An embodiment of the invention is illusti'ated in the accon'ipanying drawing Where- -in Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional vienT through a poured concrete structure shopiing an imbedded outlet box fastened to a forni member by the use or my device; Fig.

2 is a perspective view ot' the device; Fig. 3 shows an outlet box in bottom plan with the device applied thereto,and Fig. 4t is a sectional detail illustrating an 'alternative means for fastening the device to a forni member.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown an outlet box 1 of standard construction embedded Within a beam 2 of a poured concrete ceiling 3, the parts being given their shape by the form members 4. The

,open si' 1926. Serial No. 121,347.

supports for the '.ori'n members are shown in'dot-andflash lines and designated 5. y

.The box 1 is provided with a removable cover 8 tl'iat-is .held in place by screvvs S). The present b( r is octagonal in plan and in. order to adapt it ior use with tvvo different sizes of conduits, every other. face ot. the box is providedwvit-h knock-out openings 1() of one diameter, and the'intermediate faces with knock-out openings 11 oit smaller di ametei'. The usual ears 12 entendinvvardly from diametrically opposite points oi the the box and have n threaded perforations tor the reception of screws 13 which a cover, lixture' strap or` bv means of' other element may be secured to the box.

The device by means of which the outletbox ,is temporarily fastened to the form member on which it rests is `designated 15 and .is preferably die stamped from sheet metal ot suitable thickness and quality. It is provided with a central aperture 16, and With notches 17th-.at open through its ends. The device is adapted to be attached to the box by the aforesaid screivsl. In preparing for the placement of the bones, the forms are marked to indicate the centers on Which the boxes are to be located, or, in other Words, on Which outlets or xtures are to be situated. The forms are then drilled to produce relatively small holes 4on' these centers. Over eachof the holes is placed an outlet box to which has previously been applied a device 15. With the cover 8 reniovcd it simple. matter for the Worlnnen to insert a screw, bolt or the like downwardly through the aperture 1G of the device and through the correspond ing hole in the form member. and nut 19 and 2O are suitable for this pur pose, as shown in F 4. I recommend the use ot :i tapered metal screw 20, as illustrated in Fig. 1. This type` ol" screvv cuts its ovvn thread Within the hole in the form member and draws the box lirmly to its place. n

After the boxes are in place the ends of the conduits are projected through knock-outv openings from which the usual partiallyv stamped out slugs have been removed; and should it be found that the openings of a box are slightly out of line With the conduits, the central connection between the device 15 and" the form` member enables the box to be turned until the lknock-out openings are IVhile a bolt f brought into perfect register with the conduits. Furthermore, should it happen that the box was placed with the lmoelrout openings of one size in line with conduits ot a dianietei requiringthe other size openings, the. box may be given an eighth rotation to bring into line with the conduits the openings ofproper sin After the conduit connections have been made the cover 8 is placed on the box and secured thereto by the screws 9. The concrete maynow be poured. Atteithe concrete hardens the supports 5 are removed and the torni members et withdrawn from the work. ln removing the torni members to lwhich botes are fastened., the devices 15 may go with the lr'orm members, buckling sutiiciently to allow their ends to be withwv drawn from beneath the heads oit screws 13. This performance `will be the saine with either taper d metal screws or bolts and nuts provided the nuts are not removed trom the bolts. Ot course it the nuts are removed, the form members may be withdrawn without detorming the devices Due to the tact that the devices l5 bend so much more readily than the metal forms do, the forms may be removed in the manner above described without rthe slightest liability of their becomir'lgbent or mutilated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. As anew article ot manufacture, a device for temporarily connecting an outlet box to a concrete form, said device comprising,` a bendable member having` an aperture and outwardly opening not-ches in its edges.

2. As a new article ot manufacture, a device for temporarily connecting an outlet box to a concrete form, said device comprising a bendable member having,` an aperture and outwardly opening notches in its edges, the aperture being substantially midway between said notches and' located substantially on a common axis therewith.

3. As a new article ot manufacture, a de vice for temporarily connecting an outlet box to a concrete forni, said device comprising a bend able elongatec member having a central aperture and notches opening outwardly through its opposite ends.

4t. F or use with an outlet box having screws at opposed points ot its open side, a device lfor temporarily fastening the box to a concrete form consisting` eta bendable member provided with means tor attaching it to the form and having opposed portions arranged to be rictionally 'engaged beneath the heads ot the aforesaid screws whereby a slip connection is effected between said device and the outlet boit.

For use with an outlet box having di- :nnetrically opposed screws adjacent its open side, a device tor temporarily fastening the bez-r to a concrete 'form consisting of an elongated metal strap provided at its ends with outwardly openingnotches for application to said' screws and withA a central aperture tor the accommodation of means for fasted inc; it to a form.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOHN C. BOYTON. 

